Soviets Imprison Zavurov Brothers

December 2, 1976

NEW YORK (Dec. 1)

Soviet authorities have arrested and given a 15-day prison term to two brothers living in a Central Asian Soviet city noted for blatant anti-Semitism, the Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry announced. Amnon and Amner Zavurov, of Shakhrizyabz, Uzbek, had received visas for emigration to Israel for themselves and their families on Aug. 23, 1975. These visas were revoked without explanation on Oct. 3 of that year by Col. Yusopov of the Tashkent ovir office.

The Zavurovs have been without internal Soviet passports since receiving their exit visas. The imprisonment, on charges which are a still unknown, are seen by the Conference as a Soviet pressure tactic to force the Zavurovs to take back their passports, cease the process of renouncing their Soviet citizenships, and alter their decision to leave for Israel.

In related developments, the GNYCSJ also announced that Vilnius activists, including Jacob Aranson, Vladimir Raiz, Naum Salenski and Simon Gershovich, were called down for interrogation by the KGB. Authorities subsequently searched Salenski’s apartment confiscating a typewriter, personal bank account documents, and other belongings.